Ezekiel 21:5 kjv
That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.
Ezekiel 21:5 nkjv
that all flesh may know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword out of its sheath; it shall not return anymore." '
Ezekiel 21:5 niv
Then all people will know that I the LORD have drawn my sword from its sheath; it will not return again.'
Ezekiel 21:5 esv
And all flesh shall know that I am the LORD. I have drawn my sword from its sheath; it shall not be sheathed again.
Ezekiel 21:5 nlt
Everyone in the world will know that I am the LORD. My sword is in my hand, and it will not return to its sheath until its work is finished.'
Ezekiel 21 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 7:12-13 | If a man does not repent, God will sharpen His sword... | God's readiness for judgment |
| Isa 34:5-6 | For My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it descends... | God's sword as a symbol of divine wrath |
| Jer 12:12 | On all the bare heights in the desert destroyers have come... | Devastation caused by God's instrument |
| Zech 13:7 | "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd... strike the Shepherd..." | God's sword against His own for judgment |
| Rev 1:16 | In His right hand He held seven stars, from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword... | The living Word of God as judgment |
| Rev 19:15 | From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations | Christ's judgment and divine retribution |
| Isa 55:11 | "so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return..." | God's word (judgment/decree) is irreversible |
| Num 23:19 | God is not a man, that He should lie... Has He said, and will He not do? | God's faithfulness to His pronouncements |
| Lam 3:37-38 | Who can speak and have it happen, unless the Lord has decreed it? | God's absolute sovereignty over events |
| Amos 3:6 | ...if disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it? | God's initiative in calamity |
| Jer 44:28 | "...Then all the remnant of Judah... shall know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs." | God's word proves true against opposition |
| Mal 3:6 | "For I the LORD do not change..." | Immutability of God's decrees |
| Isa 40:5 | "...the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it..." | Universal revelation of God's glory/power |
| Psa 98:3 | He has remembered His steadfast love... All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation... | Universal recognition of God's acts |
| Jer 16:21 | "...Then they shall know that My name is the LORD." | Experiential knowledge of God |
| Ezek 6:7,14 | "...then you shall know that I am the LORD." | A recurring theme in Ezekiel after judgment |
| Joel 2:28 (Acts 2:17) | "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh..." | "All flesh" as universal humanity |
| Luke 3:6 | "and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." | Universal witness to God's salvation/power |
| Ezek 13:10, 16 | ...because they have misled my people, saying, "Peace," when there is no peace... | Polemic against false prophets who denied judgment |
| 1 Pet 1:24 | For "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass..." | The transient nature of humanity against God's power |
Ezekiel 21 verses
Ezekiel 21 5 Meaning
Ezekiel 21:5 declares God's inescapable and universal judgment. It means that Yahweh, the covenant God, has unleashed His destructive power, symbolized by a drawn sword, against a rebellious people. This act of judgment is certain, irreversible, and intended to demonstrate His sovereignty to all humanity. Once this divine judgment begins, there will be no turning back; it will fully accomplish its purpose, forcing a recognition of God's active involvement in human affairs.
Ezekiel 21 5 Context
Ezekiel 21 is a stark prophecy of impending judgment, often referred to as "The Sword of the LORD." The entire chapter depicts a sharpened, ready sword sent by God to execute judgment first against Jerusalem and Judah, then extending to Ammon, a neighboring nation. This verse serves as the climax of the introductory section (verses 1-7) where Ezekiel is instructed to declare the certain and severe destruction that is coming. The historical context is set just prior to the final siege and destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon (588-586 BC). The people of Judah had consistently rejected God's warnings and relied on false hopes of security, prompting this definitive declaration from the LORD. The surrounding verses in Ezekiel 21 reiterate the inevitability, severity, and widespread nature of this divine punishment, with God himself being the orchestrator, dispelling any illusion that Jerusalem's fall was merely a human political event.
Ezekiel 21 5 Word analysis
- that all flesh: (כָּל־ בָּשָׂר, kol-basar)
- "that": Indicates the purpose or result of God's action.
- "all flesh": Denotes universal humanity, encompassing both Judah and surrounding nations. It signifies the scope of awareness—not just the victims but witnesses too. This term emphasizes the mortality and fragility of humanity in contrast to the eternal, powerful God.
- may know: (יֵדְעוּ, yeda'u)
- "know": More than intellectual assent, this refers to experiential knowledge and profound recognition. They will experience the consequences and thereby understand who God truly is and His sovereign power. This understanding comes through a dramatic display of divine might.
- that I the LORD: (כִּי־ אֲנִי יהוה, ki-ani YHWH)
- "I the LORD": An emphatic declaration of God's identity. YHWH (Yahweh) is the personal, covenant name of God, emphasizing His self-existence, authority, and His faithfulness to His covenant, even in judgment. It signifies that He is the active agent and supreme sovereign.
- have drawn forth My sword: (הוֹצֵאתִי חַרְבִּי, hotzeti ḥarbi)
- "drawn forth": (הוֹצֵאתִי, hotzeti) A causative verb, meaning God caused His sword to come out, indicating direct, deliberate action and divine initiative.
- "My sword": A powerful anthropomorphic metaphor. The "sword" represents divine judgment, war, destruction, and the instruments God uses (like Babylon) to carry out His decrees. It symbolizes an instrument of death and divine wrath.
- out of its sheath; (מִתַּעְרָהּ, mittaʿrāh)
- "out of its sheath": (מִתַּעְרָהּ, mittaʿrāh) Signifies readiness for battle, action, and full deployment. The sword is no longer dormant or hidden but poised for devastating impact. Some ancient versions, like the KJV's "his sheath," can imply the sword is an extension of God's own being, or that God Himself is armed.
- it shall not return again. (לֹא־ תָשׁוּב עוֹד, lo-tashuv ‘od)
- "it shall not return": A strong declaration of finality and irreversibility. Once the judgment begins, it cannot be stopped, sheathed, or averted.
- "again": Reinforces the absolute permanence. This is a one-way action with devastating, conclusive results.
Ezekiel 21 5 Bonus section
The repeated phrase "then you shall know that I am the LORD" or "all flesh shall know that I the LORD" is a foundational motif in Ezekiel, appearing over 70 times. This verse highlights a key aspect of this theme: not just knowing God through His covenant blessings, but through His disciplinary and even destructive acts. The impending desolation will serve as a stark, unavoidable curriculum through which the world will learn of Yahweh's ultimate authority. This understanding contrasts sharply with modern theological perspectives that often struggle to reconcile divine judgment with unconditional love, emphasizing that God's holiness and justice are equally central to His character as His mercy. The severity of the image (drawn sword, no return) also serves as a polemic against the "cheap grace" advocated by false prophets, demonstrating that the wages of sin are indeed death when persistent rebellion exhausts God's patience.
Ezekiel 21 5 Commentary
Ezekiel 21:5 is a critical statement of divine judgment's finality and universal impact within the book of Ezekiel. It shatters any lingering illusion among Judah's populace that their city or temple was inviolable, directly contradicting the false prophets who promised peace (Ezek 13). God Himself, identified as Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God, is the direct initiator of this destructive action. The "sword" is a metaphor not for a literal weapon in God's hand but for the relentless, all-consuming military power of Babylon, empowered by God for His purposes. The vivid image of the sword drawn out of its sheath emphatically conveys a state of immediate, unavoidable, and active execution of divine wrath. Most profoundly, the phrase "it shall not return again" signifies that this particular judgment is without reprieve, compromise, or cessation until its full, destructive purpose is accomplished. Its universal aim, "that all flesh may know," ensures that the severity of the coming destruction will leave no doubt regarding the sovereignty, justice, and power of the God of Israel, not only among the Judaeans but also among surrounding nations who observe these events. It teaches that God's pronounced judgments are sure and cannot be evaded or nullified.